LOS ANGELES – In the long history of family sitcoms, Daddy has — for better or worse — ruled the roost. Not so on "The Goldbergs," the ABC sitcom that has a lot to celebrate these days, including recent membership into the syndication club and this week's 100th episode, directed by Minnesota native Lea Thompson.
There are a lot of reasons the show has reached that milestone: Jeff Garlin's pantless, high-decibel rants as the dad; son Sean Giambrone's breathless impression of Fred Savage in "The Wonder Years"; loving tributes to the 1980s, in which it's set.
But the series' most valuable player is Wendi McLendon-Covey's Beverly, a rayon-sporting overprotective mother who will probably react to her three kids moving out of the house by joining a nunnery.
"There's a lot of moms out there who are nuts like Beverly in that they react first and apologize later," said McLendon-Covey, who greeted me on set this past summer by hugging me. Twice. "That's what you do as a parent. You act on instinct. You don't think, 'Wait a minute. I read in this book that I'm supposed to discuss feelings and blah, blah, blah.' No. You go insult a teacher and then deliver cookies to say you're sorry for getting him fired."
Giambrone said the relationship between the parents and children best explains how the show has stood the test of time.
"A lot of moms stop me on the street and give me hugs, which I really appreciate. They want to be like Beverly," he said. "She's a role model, which is kind of bizarre."
McLendon-Covey is one of several former cast members of the cult series "Reno 911!" now enjoying mainstream success. Niecy Nash earned two Emmy nominations for HBO's "Getting On," and Minnesota native Cedric Yarbrough appears to have a hit in ABC's "Speechless," which airs immediately after "The Goldbergs."
For McLendon-Covey's breakthrough role, she fully committed to paying tribute to the real-life mother of the show's creator, Adam Goldberg.
"When the real Bev packed for trips to go to Florida, she packed 40 sweaters," McLendon-Covey said. "Sweaters! Florida! For a week! Because you have breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks. You would not go out in just a baseball hat and yoga pants. You dressed."
I can attest to Beverly's fiery nature. In an early review, I referred to the father as a couch potato, a throwaway line that triggered a nasty e-mail from his widow.
Garlin, who portrays the late Murray Goldberg, seems to be having too much fun to take offense.
"I'm just excited to be on a show that people dig," said Garlin, who is also a regular on HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" as Larry David's second banana. "Coming to work is joyful for me. At my age, if it ain't joyful, I want no part of it. I'd love to do a Michael Bay movie just so he could watch me walk off."
Garlin, who can turn casual chat into a stand-up routine, has been known to rattle his co-stars.
"We're both holy terrors, but I'm a little better than him at staying on task, OK?" McLendon-Covey said. "Right before I'm supposed to do something emotional, he'll say something so crazy that it makes me laugh and we'll all have to stop while I collect myself."
Turns out Mom isn't always in control.
njustin@startribune.com
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